Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides
- Thread starter Goldcoastreefs
- Start date
Ron...do you know you sound just like everyone did when they first switched to LED's? They were all excited about the wonderful things they saw, then after time the things they saw were not really so magical, which is what this thread is about, not trying to get people to try the Chinese lights. Personally, I hope it works for you, but the purpose of this thread was to give people who did have issues a place to voice them, not a thread to extol the virtues of a light that hasn't been around very long. I don't think the people who posted their issues with LED's in this thread are going to be swayed to try the IT series of lights.
My hopes are your light will be exactly what is needed, I can think of nothing better than an inexpensive unit that actually performs like traditional lights. What would impress me even more is a new thread started about just that light, par readings in your tank, pictures of corals as they are today and updated to show growth, any possible coloration changes in the corals, etc etc. That would be extremely useful and is what is lacking. I know I would trust it more coming from you than many of the people pushing these lights.
My hopes are your light will be exactly what is needed, I can think of nothing better than an inexpensive unit that actually performs like traditional lights. What would impress me even more is a new thread started about just that light, par readings in your tank, pictures of corals as they are today and updated to show growth, any possible coloration changes in the corals, etc etc. That would be extremely useful and is what is lacking. I know I would trust it more coming from you than many of the people pushing these lights.
mikeatjac
Active member
My tank ifs full of SPS, with very large colonies. I used Radiums for years, great bulb, had to leave them because they produced to much heat in my office. Tried T5s and T5SHO for a year. I did not like the picture view that they gave my tank but the corals did good. So for a year I looked at many LED systems that had been up for a while. More than half were failures usually because they had too much or too little light and often because they would have been failures with any kind of light.. But the ones that were working looked fantastic with great growth. I have seen SPS tanks full of chinese lights doing a great job but I really saw no saving there. My son went with d120s then with Evergrow and has had issues. I went Radion and after four months I am very happy with the growth and colors.
I believe that people underestimate the power of quality LEDs. I run my LEDs at 80% for only two hours a day. I tried to match my lights to my experience from diving. You do not want to be on off like a MH.
There are two cons to LEDs.
First I have a hard time taking a picture but I was never good at it anyway.
Secondly believing that 100% is a very bad setting.
Anyway this is just my opinion but I did do a lot of research, tried several LEDs and visited more system then I can count.
I believe that people underestimate the power of quality LEDs. I run my LEDs at 80% for only two hours a day. I tried to match my lights to my experience from diving. You do not want to be on off like a MH.
There are two cons to LEDs.
First I have a hard time taking a picture but I was never good at it anyway.
Secondly believing that 100% is a very bad setting.
Anyway this is just my opinion but I did do a lot of research, tried several LEDs and visited more system then I can count.
bhazard451
New member
Ron...do you know you sound just like everyone did when they first switched to LED's? They were all excited about the wonderful things they saw, then after time the things they saw were not really so magical, which is what this thread is about, not trying to get people to try the Chinese lights. Personally, I hope it works for you, but the purpose of this thread was to give people who did have issues a place to voice them, not a thread to extol the virtues of a light that hasn't been around very long. I don't think the people who posted their issues with LED's in this thread are going to be swayed to try the IT series of lights.
My hopes are your light will be exactly what is needed, I can think of nothing better than an inexpensive unit that actually performs like traditional lights. What would impress me even more is a new thread started about just that light, par readings in your tank, pictures of corals as they are today and updated to show growth, any possible coloration changes in the corals, etc etc. That would be extremely useful and is what is lacking. I know I would trust it more coming from you than many of the people pushing these lights.
I've been running variations of these lights extensively for 6+ months now, along with a DIY light, but I've upgraded tanks and lost some pieces during the transition. I'm just starting to buy some nice pieces of SPS now that the tank is stable.
Before the tank transition in the old chinese thread, I used a green acro mille to show a months growth. You could definitely see new growth, encrusting surrounding rock, and some new stalks forming. It "bleached" when I moved it to my new tank, or so I thought. As of a few weeks ago, it started growing polyps again, which have now almost fully encrusted the original frag. I'll take a pic later and update it every month or so. I picked up a staghorn a few weeks ago which has also started forming new stalks.
I also picked up a green/orange chalice frag from a reefer last week who runs AI Sol Blues. Within a week, the orange has changed over to a deep red color. This shows why LEDs aren't trusted yet. I've heard AI Sols can't keep color in red coral, and it's true. Saw it with my own eyes.
I know you have been running one for a while, but my hope was to see the current one, which seems to be growing in popularity. It is too easy to get lost in the Chinese Black Box thread, and there are still other variations being tossed around. I find this light interesting and think it would be a good thread for the masses and I know Ron would do it right. Your own input would of course be very helpful any my hope is the information on it would be in one thread, easy to follow and not plastered in multiple threads that have nothing to do with this light. If that makes sense?
That is exactly why I replaced the AI Sol Blus I was running. Well, not really replaced, just swapped two of the AI units for two 250watt MH. Temp fluctuation is 2 degrees. My tank would fluctuate almost that with just the LED's. The MH are sandwiched by two perpendicular AI's on the ends and one parallel in the middle since that is in front of my overflow. I do not need to run the LED's as high as I did before, but they do add some nice blue's.
I was having real problems with certain Montipora. Made the modifications and already seeing changes for the positive.
I have only modified one of the two tanks. The tanks sit on either side of the fireplace, where built in bookcases were intended. The family has made comments about how much better the MH tank looks.
As long as I don't have temp issues, I won't go back to all LED's, at least not until I let all you guys prove what really works over time.
I was having real problems with certain Montipora. Made the modifications and already seeing changes for the positive.
I have only modified one of the two tanks. The tanks sit on either side of the fireplace, where built in bookcases were intended. The family has made comments about how much better the MH tank looks.
As long as I don't have temp issues, I won't go back to all LED's, at least not until I let all you guys prove what really works over time.
bhazard451
New member
Makes sense. RC now has a sponsor that sells these lights, but the info would get buried in the sponsor forum. A separate thread could be helpful. The chinese thread is so popular though, that it seems to be the best place to keep updated.
With the chalice frag, I wanted to highlight that people who switched back to MH have very valid reasons for doing so. If AI Sol type leds were our only option (and they were for a long time), I would never give up my MH.
wildman926
Active member
I have used for almost the last 2 years, Current USA LED Pro strips. They still provide the lighting necessary for my LPS and Softies to grow. I can show pics of the LPS that have grown using these lights. A frogspawn that had 2 heads, now 14. Two separate hammers, from 2-3 heads each, to 15+ heads. Trumpet coral that was as small as a marble, to baseball size. I know others may not have the same experience, but this is mine.
While I don't disagree, the problem is there are so many variations that the thread isn't about just that light. It seems to be the most popular of the CBB's and that makes it the perfect candidate for it's own thread. Perhaps it isn't, but it would still be nice to see Ron's experience documented in it's own thread. I would follow it, because it is a golden opportunity to see the changes or lack of changes with this light. It hasn't been on the tank very long.
wattage means nothing. A watt is merely the amount of energy used. It's an incredibly poor, if not inappropriate, way to compare lighting sources.
A watt is nothing more than the amount of joules used over a period of time, usually seconds, which has absolutely nothing to do with quality or amount of light.
If you want to talk about efficiency, you should be concerned with how much light is produced for a given watt, because a significant amount of power, in most lighting sources, is wasted as heat.
Mike de Leon
New member
I have been running an LED fixture since August with good results. I take is that it will not grow everything. But most of my sps did well over this fixture
Mike de Leon
New member
here is one pic.
Mike de Leon
New member
and another. See growth tips.
meshwheel
New member
gbru16,
I totally understand it's only a term. That's not the point I am trying to make. The point is, they are upping the wattages on all these led's!!!! They tried lenses first.
The orignal premise of these lights was BIG ELECRICAL SAVINGS THAT WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF QUICKLY!!!
And it's not and did not happen. Guys started having problems with not enough light,or wattage, or whatever term you chose to use for light energy.
And the eco friendly term, as well as the 10 year lifespan I still find hard to believe. And no one(that I know of, please let me know if you know) has ran them for 10 years over a tank. Then, taken tests to see where levels are at and compared...........
I totally understand it's only a term. That's not the point I am trying to make. The point is, they are upping the wattages on all these led's!!!! They tried lenses first.
The orignal premise of these lights was BIG ELECRICAL SAVINGS THAT WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF QUICKLY!!!
And it's not and did not happen. Guys started having problems with not enough light,or wattage, or whatever term you chose to use for light energy.
And the eco friendly term, as well as the 10 year lifespan I still find hard to believe. And no one(that I know of, please let me know if you know) has ran them for 10 years over a tank. Then, taken tests to see where levels are at and compared...........
bhazard451
New member
What would impress me even more is a new thread started about just that light, par readings in your tank, pictures of corals as they are today and updated to show growth, any possible coloration changes in the corals, etc etc. That would be extremely useful and is what is lacking. I know I would trust it more coming from you than many of the people pushing these lights.
Your wish has been granted :beer:
I know Ron has taken PAR readings too, and has a slightly different led layout than I do. Looking forward to his input there too, and growth pics over time if possible.
I've never seen BIG ELECTRICAL SAVINGS touted. Merely lower energy bills. Many have experienced this, including myself. BIG savings? Nah, but savings nonetheless.
They DO save money via decreased electric bills, they ARE cheaper to manufacture than traditional bulbs (and less of a hazard when disposed) and they CAN adequately light a tank. To argue otherwise is preposterous. If you'd like, I can break out the science/physics.
meshwheel
New member
gbru316,
I am well versed in science/physics. But let's stick to the facts. Your paying outrageous prices up front to save very little down the line. So, in fact, your NOT saving anything.
YOUR LOSING MONEY. Not saving money! And many here will tell you just that. They have lost BIG MONEY. And they will tell you they are not happy about it.
IF their cheaper to manufacture, then they should be sold for less. Not astronomically more.
bu
I am well versed in science/physics. But let's stick to the facts. Your paying outrageous prices up front to save very little down the line. So, in fact, your NOT saving anything.
YOUR LOSING MONEY. Not saving money! And many here will tell you just that. They have lost BIG MONEY. And they will tell you they are not happy about it.
IF their cheaper to manufacture, then they should be sold for less. Not astronomically more.
bu
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